Apparatus for affixing conducting tap straps to paper mounting strips



June 10, 1952 E. A. RANEY 2,600,322

APPARATUS FOR AFF'IXING CONDUCTING TAP STRAPS TO PAPER MOUNTING STRIPS Filed July 31, 1948 Inventor;

Edwin A.Rane

His Attorney.

Patented June 10, 1 952 BAB TUS- EQR AF iflN :QONDUCTI IHG TAB {STRAPS TO" PAPER MOUNT- me srmrs A:nanem iuasfiele Mass:,, assignor to General ;Electrie Company; a. corporation of New-York v re reats-s xte n, 194 's;stratus-resori oiaim: (crisp-1L6) My invention 'reiates w asmetfied? d aripa ratus for afiiiring or 'attachiiilgfla pluralityof strips of material, at spaced and wear-intervals; to another strip of niateri'al.- More parti'cuiariy my invention relates to tr aii'sver selwaffiiiingi a pmrality of conductin'g tap str'apsj e'inployed as ter' minals'in electric condensers'i at spae'eu ann equai intervals" to a strip: of -mounting "material such as a longitudinal strip ofi iri'sulating' papefiwhich combination was disclosed-in a: cop'eudiiigf 'appm cation for Capacitors -Including Method: and Apparatus for Tap- Strap-Insertion Therein, SerialNo; 18,104,-filed March 3'Lil9 i8iinow Patent No. 2,547,644; and a'ssi gned to-the:"same aSsig'ne'e as the instant-applications The claini of the presentapplicatiori is specifically 'directedto-"the apparatus of the present: invention wh'ile 'clafniis to the: method have been presented in -my e pending divisional applicatiom seriai numfier 116346, filed 'Septem'ber lT, 1949, mid 'g ign dwt the same assi'gnee present application;

To be employed therma-nnen disclos'ed in the aforementioned copend ing applic'ation serial No; 18,104, now-Patent-[N612;54 1644;ither1ongitu dinal strip of insuIatingpaper'inust have thd conducting tap straps: afliiied th'ereto net-"pulp at spaced and equal F intervals b'ut a pei' tioii of each tap strap mu'st extenda predetermined distanee laterally beyond-alongitudinal edae ofthe mounting strip approximately equal to the distance it is desired to" havetlie tap strap's pro jejct' ou t oi the finished condenser rolll Also; sincethe longi tudinal'edges 0f themountiii g 'strip are' eventually aligned" with the longitudinal edges cfthe=-di; electric material between the 'conductingt foils in the finished condenseri ea -ch 'tap-strapmust obvi' ously be afiixed at: anangle with-'- respect to" the longitudinal edges of "the mounting-strip coin"- mensurate with thede'sired angle of projection from the finished roll. lvlir a're'over; snic'e each tap strap is intended to: eventually: be 'irigood;- electric contact with a conductir igifoil onpiate vvi'thin a rolled condenser it is importanvtliat an; entire surface thereofbe iree -or any; contamination" or form of 'insulatingi-material-. to comply with economic" demanded? is1 -'imperaitive that a supply roll of mounting? material'withconducting tap straps: afiixedthereto be quickly and automat ically prepared in acoord'ameerwiththe" desired requisitesias hereinbeforeindicated."

It is i therefore'an' object of f my invention to provide a methodforafilxingtxat spaced*andeq ual intervals at pluralityi"of cmductingftawstraps to a mounting strip of 'insulatingfmateriali 7 It" is 'also' 'an object-of my invention-ta provide ,2: a a method for automatically a'fiixin'g such tap straps, froin' -a longitudinal supply stripiofconducting material, to a supply stripof-insulating mounting material.

It is a further obj ect' of myinventionto provide anew apparatus for automatically 'carrying out the method' described.

My invention will be'better understood from the i following description when taken-'- in connection with the" accompanying: drawing the single figure of which perspectively and diagrammati' cally T illustrates an apparatus embodyingtmy invention, the scope oi'v'vhich will be pointed'out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying" drawing: l it: represents a supply roll of insulating mounting: material rotatably mounted on spindle-or shaft Ii 'which ifi tur'n is supported by a stationary framework, not 'illustrated in the iriterest of simplicity-.- As supply roll lllis unwound, b'y drive means-to be described hereinafter; the longitudinal strippf mounting material I2 therefrom isdirectedt0"- vvardthe right in the direction of the arrow and during this rightward passage passes ;overand istem orarily supported Orr-support platform 13 also rigidly sup'ported by the staticnary framework A supply strip of conducting: material: is; fed from asupply roll orreelr liover tension pulley l6 and under guide ll in the direction of the arrowtowardand' transversely'i-over the platform I 3 "and "the longitudinal supply strip of mounting material 12'; The lower; or the? surface of the conducting: stri'p' I i adjacent the platform; has been previously 'coat'ed with ,a--- thermo-setting adhesive material. To feed thecondu'ctingstrip 14 transversely toward the mountingstrip, 'I-employ feed means comprising apair' of cooperating feed-' rolls l8'and' l9 fixedlyfmounte'd onshafts 20 and 21 respectively which'are" positively interconnected by' spur gears- 22 and 23' respectively. Shaft 26' isdriven counterclockwise, as viewed; by bevel gearset 24*and shaft 25-Which is in turn intermittently driven by a conventional Geneva motion comprising: an escapeinent disk-2'6 keyed onth'e end-of shaft 25"and' a-constantly rotated es'capement pin ll-mounted on an arm 28' keyed to drive shaft-29 which is constantly driven coun terclockwis'e byapulley or chain sprocket mounted thereon'but" not shown which'in turn-may be driven by a belt or'chain' from-a-motor neither of which are" illustrated. Escapeme-nt' disk 25 may have a. number of radial recesses-or-notches 30 in-its periphermin' this case roun Escapement pin- 21 is adaptedtoenter and exit'from recesses 3 30 as drive shaft 29 rotates to impart intermittent rotation to shafts 25 and 25 and conducting strip feed rolls l8 and [9.

Between feed rolls [8 and I and platform l3 at a predetermined distance therefrom and the adjacent longitudinal edge of mounting strip i2 is supported a conducting strip severing means or knife comprising a die and strip support 3! rigidly fixed to the apparatus framework and punch or knife housing 32 slidably mounted for vertical movement at the rear, but not shown, on the framework. The forward lower end 33 of housing 32 is formed or machined to a knife edge the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. Conducting strip holding element 34 is mounted for vertical movement Within housing 32, biased downward by a spring therein and aligned for engagement with die slot 35 which has a width and is so aligned as to slidably accommodate conducting strip [4 as it is fed toward mounting strip [2. The downward travel of holding element 34 under its spring bias is limited by the engagement of a pin 35 affixed thereto with the lower edge of a slot 31 in the side wall of knife housing 32. Normally, holding element 55 is biased out of engagement with die slot 35 by spring 38 interposed between plate extension 3%, fixed to housing 32, and the framework. Upward thrust of spring 38 is resisted by the engagement of top plate All, suitably fixed to housing 32, with the rounded end of an adjustment screw M threadedly mounted in a beam or lever 42 rotatably pivoted on pivot pin 43 fixedly mounted on the apparatus framework. Clockwise rotation thus imposed by spring 33 on lever 42 is resisted by engagement of the opposite end thereof with the contact surface of a cam 5d mounted on shaft 45. Cam 44 and shaft A5 are rotated by sprocket 46, chain 41 and sprocket 4S keyed to shaft 49 which is positively driven by drive shaft 29 through spur gear set 55. Top plate 40 is provided with an overhanging extension containing a pair of spaced openings which serves to slidably accommodate a pair of vertical rods 5| each of which has an adjustment nut 52 threaded on the upper end thereof. Vertical rods 5| extend downwardly respectively through a pair of spaced openings, having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the rods, in horizontal guide plate 53 fixed to the side wall of housing 32. At the lower ends of vertical rods 5| is fixedly mounted a combination tamper and heater block 54 containing an electrical heating element energized by circuit conductors 55. Normally, tamper and heater block 54 is biased in a downward direction by a pair of coil springs 56 respectively mounted around the vertical rods 5| and interposed between collars 51' integral therewith and the overhanging extension of housing top plate 40. Normally, the lower-most position of block 54 under the biasing action of springs 56 is limited and controlled by the position of nuts 52 on the threaded upper ends of rods 5!.

Longitudinal mounting strip 12 is continuously unrolled from supply roll H] by a pair of feed rolls 58 and 59 between which the mounting strip is directed in its travel toward support I platform 13. Roll 53 is an idler roll the shaft 60 of which is biased downwardly by springs 51 so that the mounting strip I2 is pulled frictionally between rolls 58 and 59. Roll 59 is mounted on rotatable shaft 62 on an extension of which is keyed a sprocket wheel 53 which is driven by drive shaft 29 through spur gear set 50, shaft 59,

sprocket 54 mounted thereon and chain 65 interconnecting sprockets 63 and 54. Longitudinal mounting strip l2, with tap straps affixed thereto is also continuously rewound as indicated at 5B representing a partially rewound reel of mounting material in rolling engagement with friction roll 67 keyed to shaft 68 which is also driven by drive shaft 29 through spur gear set 50, shaft 49, sprocket 69 keyed thereto, chain 10 and sprocket H keyed to shaft 58. Mounting strip I2 is rewound on a core sleeve mounted on reel up shaft 12 which is supported on a pair of radius arms 13 which are in turn pivotally mounted on the apparatus framework. The mounting of shaft 12 on the pivoted radius arms results in constant rolling engagement of the reel being rewound with friction drive roll 51 regardless of the amount of mounting material that has been rewound into a finished reel.

In its travel from support platform 13 toward friction roll 51, mounting strip 12 is directed between another pair of feed rolls M and 15. Roll 74 is an idler roll the shaft 15 of which is biased downwardly by springs 11 so that the mountin strip I2 is pulled frictionally between rolls l4 and '15. However, since drive feed r011 15 is mounted on intermittently driven shaft 25, the mounting strip will only be moved intermittently by this pair of feed rolls, although it is continuously unwound from supply roll I0 and rewound, once the apparatus has been started. Feed rolls l4 and 15, escapement disk 26 and the radius arm of pin 21 are so proportioned and related to the balance of the apparatus, hereinbefore described, that rotation of roll 15, while pin 21 is in engagement with a slot 30, feeds mounting strip I2 toward friction roll 61 at a much greater linear speed than it is being wound thereby on reel 55. Thereafter, when pin 21 becomes disengaged from a slot 30 in disk 25, there is no further movement of rolls l4 and 15 nor of mounting strip l2 over platform l3 for a momentary period during which pin 21 is making a part of a revolution before engaging with the next adjacent slot in disk 26 and friction roll 67 is rewinding the excess mounting strip previously and quickly fed forward by th feed .rolls [4 and T5. During this momentary period, continuous rotation of feed rolls 58 and 59 unwinds an excess of mounting material from supply roll l0 which excess is quickly taken up by the next increment of rotation of feed rolls [4 and I5. Excess mounting material unwound from supply roll l0 during the momentary period when feed rolls 14 and 15 are stationary and excess mounting material fed forward by rotation of these rolls is controlled and tension is maintained therein by idler rolls 18 each pivotally mounted on a pair of radius arms 19 pivotally mounted on the apparatus framework.

Between tension rolls 18, are positioned a number of spaced idler rolls which serve to guide mounting strip 12 in its travel from feed rolls 58 and 59 to friction roll 61.

To operate my apparatus hereinbefore described, an end of mounting strip 12 is first manually fed between feed rolls 58 and 59 pulled over support platform I3, between guide rolls 80 and feed rolls I4 and 15 as shown and attached to the core sleeve on shaft 12 and an end of conducting strip I4 is manually directed between conducting strip feed rolls l8 and i9. Then the drive motor, not shown, which turns drive shaft 29 is started. Thereafter, all the steps of my invention are executed automatically. Mounting strip feed rolls I4 and 15 quickly pull mounting strip 12 over platform l3 from an excess previously unwound by feed rolls 58 and 59 off of supp y roll l0. Simultaneously conducting strip feed rolls I8 and I9 rotate to feed the conducting supply strip through the die slot 3| toward and transversely over mounting strip I2. Thereafter, pin 21 on arm 28 becomes disengaged from a slot 30 in escapement disk 28 to momentarily stop both the movement of mounting strip I2 over platform I3 and the feed of conducting strip I4 thereover. The various elements of the apparatus are interconnected as hereinbeiore described and so synchronized that during this momentary period the periphery portion 8| of rotating cam 44, having the greatest radius, begins to roll into engagement with the beam 42 turning it counterclockwise about its pivot 43 to force housing 32 downwardly against the upward bias of spring 38 and the lower end of holding element 34 into die slot 35 and engagement with conducting strip I4. Since tamper and heater block 54 is supported through rods 5I and nuts 52 on top plate fixed to housing 32, this downward motion also lowers block 54 into engagement with the conducting strip I4 previously fed over mounting strip I2. Inasmuch as block 54 ishot by virtue of the heating element therein, this engagement between block and conducting strip softens the thermosetting adhesive coating on the under-surface thereof. Additional rotation of cam 44 results in further downward and slidable motion of housing 32. relative to holding element 34, which having engaged stationary die slot 35 and strip I4 remains stationary, whereby the knife edge 33 of housing 32 passes through and severs conducting strip I4. Obviously, this additional downward movement of housing 32 is not only against the biasing action of spring 38 but also against the biasing action of the holding element spring within the housing whereby additional holding pressure is imposed on the strip l4 during the severing thereof. Since block 54 has already been lowered into contact with the conducting strip I 4 prior to the severing thereof, this additional downward movement of housing 32 also lowers guide plate 53 and top plate 40 relative to block support rods 5| to compress springs 56 whereby block 54 imposes considerable pressure on the severed conducting strip to affix it firmly, by the softened thermo-setting adhesive material to the mounting strip.

Thereafter, the constant rotation of shaft 49 and cam 44 driven thereby will permit clockwise rotation of beam 42 and upward motion of housing 32 and block 54 subsequent to which feed rolls I4 and I5 will be rotated another increment to advance mounting strip I2, and conducting strip feed rolls I8 and I!) will be simultaneously rotated to feed another portion of the conducting strip I4 transversely over the mounting strip.

Thus, I have provided a method and means whereby a conducting tap strap 82 having a predetermined portion projecting beyond or exterior of a longitudinal edge of a strip of mounting material, equivalent to the distance therefrom to a severing means, is automatically afiixed to the mounting strip at spaced and equal intervals thereon. It will be apparent that the angle between the tap straps and a longitudinal edge of the mounting strip may be controlled by changing the direction of feed of conducting strip I4 with respect to the direction of movement of the mounting strip and the projecting portion of the tap strap including projection beyond both longitudinal edges of the mounting strip may be changed by obvious modifications in the elements of the apparatus.

While I have, in accordance with the patent statutes, shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention including a method of operation together with the apparatus for automatically carrying it out, other changes will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and I, therefore, aim in the appended claim to cover all such changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In a machine for aifixing a conducting tap strap to a supply strip of mounting material at spaced and equal intervals thereon from a supply strip of conducting material, one of said strips having adhesive material applied to a surface thereof, a platform for supporting said moving strip of mounting material, a first pair of cooperating rotatable feed rolls for moving said mounting strip therebe-tween and across said platform, a second pair of cooperating rotatable feed rolls for moving said conducting strip 'therebetween and feeding an end thereof toward and transversely over said mounting strip and said platform, drive means to rotate said first and second pair of feed. rolls including a Geneva mechanism to momentarily and simultaneously stop rotation of both of said pair of rolls, a combination heater and tamper having a single, flat and unbroken tamping surface engageable in heat conducting relationship with the entire portion of said conducting strip fed over said mounting strip, said tamper actuated by said drive means when said first and second pair of feed rolls and the movement of said mounting strip and said conducting strip is momentarily stopped to press and adhesively affix to said mounting strip the portion of said conducting strip transversely moved thereover, and a knife engageable with said conducting strip positioned intermediate said second pair of feed rolls and said mounting strip and actuated by said drive means to sever thereafter, and while said rolls are stopped, said conducting strip transversely at a predetermined distance exterior of a longitudinal edge of said mounting strip.

EDWIN A. RANEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

